BAA plans in-house review as Bradley quits PR position

The move follows the announcement this week that its south-east airports comms chief Jenny Bradley is to leave at the end of March.

Ian Hargreaves, BAA corporate and public affairs director - who Bradley reports to - confirmed her departure had prompted a review of the in-house structure.

He said this is likely to be concluded within weeks and is expected to involve an axing of Bradley's role, with himself taking direct control of all comms and public affairs work for the south-east region.

That area, which includes overseeing all PR and lobbying efforts for Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Southampton, has been the only area that has had its own comms chief and involves the work of around 45 of the 70-strong comms team.

Hargreaves said: 'I want to see a single senior structure at the corporate centre so that there is better co-ordination between those involved in communications at the airports and at a corporate level.

'The south-east role will go and I predict I will need to redeploy key senior people.'

He added that the review is not likely to lead to any staff losing their jobs.

Bradley joined BAA 13 years ago, initially as Heathrow's director of PA. She took responsibility for all PR across the south east with the title of director of public affairs three years ago.

She said her departure was because, 'I've done everything I wanted to do here and wanted to move on,' adding that she will concentrate on business interests, including property in Canada. She is also to consider consultancy work.

During her time at BAA she has handled external relations campaigns for the controversial fifth terminal at Heathrow, which got the go ahead last year.

Meanwhile this week BAA announced that its deputy chief executive Mike Clasper will take over from chief executive Mike Hodkinson when the latter retires in June.